An Athletic Vegan Debunks Vegan Myths.

Today’s article is one from Paul Landini who writes a column for the globe and mail. He does a number of health columns but he took this opportunity to truly introduce himself saying “My name is Paul and I’m a vegan”

He appreciates the fact the vegan lifestyle has changed a lot in the last 10 years, so much so that this is not a radical statement to make, but that sceptical eyebrow is still raised in the gym, but says that this is not justified – he can “dead-lift more than twice my body weight, fire off 30 strict push-ups with relative ease and, last I checked, my pull-up max was 15 reps” The article is a refreshing debunking of myths that surround athletic vegans.

First up, the one that bugs me the most. Some days I want to scream it from the rooftops. “We’re not protein deficient” Particular annoying as people who ask this are no experts to them protein is simply a buzz word they have no idea what this nutrient is, what it does, or where it comes from.

He addresses these by saying what it is, what it does and the most important factor? – Protein isn’t hard to come by and he tells us the sources of protein for a vegan – “Lentils, tempeh, beans and quinoa are all protein-rich foods that never had a face.”

He then addresses myth number 2 – “We’re not hormonally challenged”

Yes tofu is made from soya and yes it contains plant-based oestrogen, but so do so many other foods but the link of plant-based oestrogen and breast and prostate cancer (and the growth of breasts) has been discredited. Boys ye won’t be shopping for bras if you place soya in your coffee.

Myth number 3 “We’re not paragons of virtue and health”

Aint this the truth. Yes, there are benefits to choosing a vegan lifestyle, but it is not magic. When done right it has a ton of benefits but only when it is done right. Some vegans do eat chips and processed rubbish while some meat eaters eat a ton of veggies that would put those vegans to shame.

It is so refreshing to see an article about veganism from an actual vegan. I think it is even more refreshing to see it from a vegan who is willing to admit that simply cutting out animal products will not give you superpowers. The diet has to be done correctly. Now I have to add here that this will not happen overnight. For many vegans today the decision to remove animal products from their diet comes from an animal rights standpoint and cutting out the animal products will have overnight benefits for their mental health which should be appreciated. But to really see the benefits in your physical health will take time. Allow yourself that time and know that you are doing well. As with any diet, the key is to balance what you have to do now is adjust your thinking instead of basing our meals around meat protein we have to set it around vegetable protein and give our body the nutrition it needs which does not often come from processed foods.

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